PORTRAIT OF A WINNER

Victor Bucciarelli prepares paint for his mural on the third floor of the Buhl Mansion, which will have about 5 suites.

Donna Winner, who is overseeing the Buhl Mansion project, is working closely with crews on the restoration of the former home of philanthropists Frank H. and Julia Forker Buhl.

Splendor is returning to Buhl Mansion

Soon, an elegant art museum with gold- and bronze-leafed replicas of statues such as ``David'' by Michelangelo will welcome people into the Buhl Mansion, something that has not happened in years.

James E. and Donna Winner are among many people who have tried to restore the Buhl Mansion to the splendor of years gone by. It has stood vacant for the most part, with various owners living there at times while attempting to restore it.

``We imagined a worse-case scenario,'' Winner said. ``But there was so much more to refurbish.''

Work continues on the Buhl Mansion and soon it will be marketed along with Tara, his hotel and four-star restaurant in Clark.

But when 30 tons of debris are being hauled away from the mansion, the opening date remains a ``moving target,'' Winner said.

His wife, Donna, is supervising a ``big crew'' and is trying to restore the home that once belonged to Shenango Valley philanthropists Frank H. and Julia Forker Buhl, who were responsible for donating Buhl Farm and community buildings to the people of the Shenango Valley in the early 1900s.

``We are not mandating that it be completely restored, but we are trying to guide it that way,'' Winner said, adding that a 16-foot window that was sold is being replaced.

Spas will be located in the basement, and a grand staircase will allow visitors to travel between the floors. An artist also will be painting a scene on the ceiling, Winner said. The second and third floors will have five suites each.

``All of the woodwork is gone and we are rebuilding that,'' he said. ``And every suite will have fireplaces just like it would've in the time of the Buhls.''

The swimming pool has been leveled and the observatory in the rear will be rebuilt, with walkways and gardens throughout the lawn area.

``It's going to be magnificent,'' Winner said. ``It'll be very elegant and bring some life back into the mansion.''

The century-old, Romanesque Buhl Mansion at 422 E. State St. in Sharon has deteriorated, and the Winner family hopes to restore its spendor and turn it into a spa.

Dan Nagel cuts plywood on the second floor of the Buhl Mansion in an area that, when complete, will be rooms for guests.